Package construction



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ATTORNEY Ebb 7 3%? w. 11. ammw 9 PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 18, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [N VEN TOR. 620 2 6? Own ryflfi BY MM Fm ATTGWNEEY United States Patent This invention relates generally to the art of packaging, and is especially concerned with a unique package construction for relatively small articles, and also embraces a novel display-dispenser for packages.

While the package construction of the instant invention has been primarily developed and employed in the packaging of pharmaceutical tablets or pills, and will be illustrated and described hereinafter with particular reference thereto, it is appreciated that the advantageous features of the instant invention are admirably well suited for packaging a wide variety of different products, all of which applications are intended to be comprehended herein.

In the packaging of pharmaceutical tablets or pills, stay for distribution to physicians, it is a practical necessity that descriptive literature accompany the contents to fully inform the physician, and that such literature be readily separable from the contents for retention by the physician when the tablets are dispensed to a patient. Heretofore, pill packages employed relatively expensive and complex appendages for carrying the descriptive literature, which appreciably increased the cost of distributing pharmace uticals.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a unique package construction wherein pharmaceutical tablets and other small articles may be neatly and attractively presented, and which may incorporate a novel pocket construction adapted to contain a descriptive circular, or the like, which circular may be quickly and easily removable from the contents when desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package construction of the type described wherein a single pocket is adapted to carry both a packet of pills, or the like, and descriptive literature, the literature and contents being separately removable from the package in a simple and expeditious manner.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs, which is extremely simple in structure, staunch and durable to resist damage in handling, and which is capable of economic manufacture for sale at a reasonable price.

The inst-ant invention further contemplates the inclusion of a unique dispensing device for the instant packages, wherein a plurality of packages may be contained and protected in an organized and attractive arrangement, and from which single packages may be quickly and easily removed, as required.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specifiation and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of a package constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top view of the package of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a rear perspective View of the package of FIGURE 1, illustrating an initial step in removing the package contents;

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of tha opened package;

FIGURE 6 is a top perspective view showing a plurality of packages of FIGURES 1-5 assembled in a dispensing container of the present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a top plan view of the dispenser of FIG- URE 6, with the packages removed and partly broken away;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 8-8 of FIGURE 7; and

. FIGURE 9 is a sectional elevational view taken generally along the line 99 of FIGURE 7, illustrating a pair of packages in the container.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1-5 thereof, a package construction is there generally designated 20 and may include a pair of front and rear outer sheets 21 and 22 secured in facing engagement with each other. The outer sheets 21 and 22 may be of congruent, rectangular configuration, as illustrated, and may be formed of a single sheet, as by folding at 23.

The central portion 24 of front sheet 21 may be formed with one or more thru apertures 25, four being shown in the illustrated embodiment. Above the central portion 24, the upper edge 23 may be cut away, 1218 at 26, defining a notch extending downward into the upper central portion 27 of front sheet 21.

The rearsheet 22 may be formed with a generally U- shaped line of. perforation or weakening, including a lower or bight portion 28 extending along and spaced upward from the lower edge of back sheet 22, and side or leg portions 29 extending upward from opposite ends of lower portion 28, being adjacent to and spaced inward from respective side edges of the back sheet and terminating at spaced locations along the upper edge or fold 23. In addition, the back wall 22 may be providedwith an upstanding tab 30 extending upwardly from the upper edge of the back wall between the weakened-line portions 29. In practice, the upstanding tab 30 may be formed from the material of cutout 26.

Interposed between the facing front and back sheets 21 and 22 and securing the same in their facing relation may be suitable adhesive 32, or other securing means. The adhesive is interposed between the front and back sheets 21 and 22 along the side and lower edge margins thereof, being absent between the central and upper central portions of the facing sheets. By this construction, the central front-sheet portions 24 and 27 combine with the central back-sheet portion 31 to define therebetween a pocket 34 opening upwardly between the adjacent bounding edges of notch 26 and tab 30. The front-wall apertures 25 are located to communicate through the front wall rearwardly into the pocket 34, while the gen erally U-shaped line of weakening 2:8, 29 in the rear sheet 22 is arranged conformably within the generally U-shaped configuration of adhesive 32 between the side and lower edge margins of the facing sheets. Hence, the backwall portion 41 bounded within the line of weakening 28, 29 and upper edge of tab 30 is readily removable by severance of the weakened line, as seen in FIGURE 4, to open the back side of the pocket 34.

Interiorly of the pocket 34 is located a generally flat packet 35, which may include a generally flat, substantially rectangular card 36 having one or more protuberances or plastic blisters 37 projecting from the front face of the card. The protuberances or blisters 37 are configured and arranged for conforming projection through the frontwall apertures 25 and forward beyond the front wall 21 with the card 36 received in the pocket 34. In this condition, best seen in FIGURES l and 2, the packet 35 is retained in the pocket 34 by interengagement of the protuberances 37 through the apertures 25. Also, in the pocket 34, between the flat rear side of card 36 and the inner surface of back sheet 22 may be snugly engaged a circular or pamphlet 39. When the blisters 37 contain pharmaceutical tablets or pills, as at 40 in FIGURE 2, it is often essential that descriptive literature accompany the contents and be selectively removable therefrom, as by a dispensing physician.

By the instant construction, the circular 39 may be withdrawn upward from the pocket 34 without removal of the packet 35. The package 20, without the circular 39, may then be dispensed, if desired. However, if it is desired only to dispense the packet 35, or a part thereof, the rear-sheet region 31 may be separated from the remainder of the rear sheet by severance of weakened line 28, 29. The packet 35 may then be removed by rearward withdrawal of the protuberances 37 from the apertures 25.

It will now be understood that the facing sheets 21 and 22 combine to define therebetween the edge-opening pocket 34 which holds both the pill packet 35 and circular 39, all requiring a minimum of material and expense. If desired, the sheets 21 and 22 may be fabricated of paper board, plastic or other suitable material. Further, while the secured facing sheets 21 and 22 afford effective protection to the contents in transit and storage, ready accessibility is presented by mere separation of the backsheet region 31 and removal of the circular 39 and packet 35.

In FIGURES 69 is shown a dispensing container, generally designated 42, for neatly, attractively and protectively containing a plurality of packages 20.

The dispenser 42 includes a bottom wall 43 formed with a plurality of laterally extending, generally parallel corrugations 44. Upstanding from the bottom wall 43 at opposite ends of the corrugations 44 are a pair of side walls 45, while a front wall 46 upstands from the forward end of bottom wall 43, and a rear wall 47 upstands from the rear end of the bottom wall. In practice, the bottom wall 43, side walls 45, front wall 46 and back Wall 47 may all be integrally formed of plastic sheet material, as by vacuum forming.

The front wall 46 is relatively low, while the back wall 47 is relatively high, and the side walls 45 are of rearwardly increasing height, between that of the front and back walls. Formed about the upper edges of the front wall 46, side walls 45 and rear wall 47 is a generally coplanar circumferential flange 48.

A generally flat, substantially rectangular top wall 50 extends across the upper ends of front, side and rear walls 45, 45 and 47. The top wall 50 may include an upper layer or sheet 51 on the upper side of flange 48, and a lower layer or sheet 52 extending circumferentially about the front wall 46, side walls 45 and backwall 47 immediately beneath the flange 48. The top-wall layers 51 and 52 may extend outward beyond the flange 48 entirely thereabout, and may have their outwardly extending marginal edge portions adhesively secured in facing engagement with each other. Centrally of the upper sheet 51, over the bottom wall 44, there is formed a thru opening 53. The opening 53 is bounded by a laterally extending forward edge 54 terminating at opposite ends in a pair of generally concave or half-moon cutouts 55. The rear edge 56 of opening 53, at a location medially between opposite sides of the opening, is recessed or cut away, as at 57. The side margins of the opening 53 are each formed with a series of inwardly facing cutouts or notches 58, which may be of generally V-shaped configuration, with the notches of one side margin being in respective alignment with the notches of the other side margin. The respectively aligned notches 58 are further each in general alignment with a respective corrugation 44 of the bottom wall 43. The space between each adjacent pair of notches 58 is occupied by an inwardly extending tab 59 of a thickness or width corresponding to the pitch of corrugations 44.

In use, a packet 20 is inserted downward through the top-wall opening 53 with the opposite side edge margins of the packet engaged in a respective aligned pair of notches 58. The lower edge margin of the downwardly engaged packet 20 engages in the groove of a corrugation 44. The cutout 57 permits downward passing of protuberances 37 of the rearmost packet through the opening 53. The spacing between adjacent notches 58, and consequently the dimensions of tabs 59, are such as to afford suflicient room for adjacent packets, and permit their free independent insertion and removal.

In order that the assembly of dispenser 42 and packets 20 may provide an attractive and effective display, the back wall 47 may have its laterally medial region 60 offset rearwardly, and the laterally medial region of bottom wall 43 may extend correspondingly rearwardly, as at 61 for stabilizing engagement with a supporting surface.

In addition, the top wall 50, which may be rectangular as illustrated, or otherwise, advantageously has its forward edge 62 extended to substantially the same level as that of bottom wall 43. In this manner, the forward edge 62 of top wall St] is engageable with a supporting surface to resist forward tipping.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a package construction which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture, distribution and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made Within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A package construction comprising a pair of sheets in facing relation with each other, securing means securing said facing sheets together along generally U-shaped portions thereof, said sheets having unsecured facing portions within said U-shaped portions extending from centrally of said sheets to adjacent bounding edges thereof, thereby defining a pocket opening outwardly from between said adjacent bounding edges of said sheets, the unsecured portion of one sheet having at least one thru opening, the unsecured portion of the other sheet being provided with a generally U-shaped line of weakening extending thereabout and having its opposite ends terminating at spaced locations on the bounding edge of said other sheet, the region of said other sheet bounded within said line of weakening and said bounding edge being separable upon severance along said line of weakening, a generally fiat packet in said pocket and having a protuberance projecting through said opening to retain said packet in position in said pocket, said packet being removable upon separation of said other sheet region by withdrawal of said protuberance from said aperture, and a circular in said pocket between said packet and other sheet for withdrawal from said pocket between said adjacent bounding edges independently of said packet.

2. A package construction according to claim 1, in combination with an extension on said bounding edge portion of said other sheet between said spaced locations providing a finger pull for separating said other sheet region.

3. A package construction according to claim 1, said bounding edge portion of said one sheet having a finger notch affording access to said bounding edge portion of said other sheet for manual separation of said other sheet region.

4. A package construction according to claim 1, said securing means being of generally U-shaped configura tion, and said line of weakness being of generally U- shaped configuration arranged conformably within said securing means.

5. A dispensing package comprising a bottom wall having laterally extending generally parallel corrugations; a pair of side walls upstanding from opposite sides of said bottom wall adjacent to opposite ends of said corrugations; front and back walls upstanding from the front and back of said bottom Wall; a top wall extending across the top of said front, back and side walls; said top wall having an opening located over said bottom-Wall corrugations; the side edge margins of said opening each being provided with a plurality of notches located over respective bottom-wall corrugations; and a plurality of packets extending through said opening each having its lower edge margin engaged in a respective one of said corrugations and its side edge margins engaged in respective adjacent notches, whereby said packets are effectively retained in parallel relation and readily removable upward through said top-Wall opening.

6. A dispensing package according to claim 5, said side walls being of rearwardly increasing height, said front wall being relatively low and said back wall being relatively high, and said top wall being inclined rearwardly.

7. A dispensing package according to claim 6, in combination with a rearward extension on said bottom Wall for stabilizing engagement with a supporting surface.

8. A dispensing package according to claim 6, said bottom, front, back and side Walls being integrally formed of plastic sheet material; and said top Wall comprising a generally fiat card extending beyond said front, back and side Walls.

9. A dispensing package according to claim 8, said card extending forwardly beyond said front wall to the approximate level of said bottom wall for stabilizing engagement with a supporting surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

D. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

5. A DISPENSING PACKAGE COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL HAVING LATERALLY EXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL CORRUGATIONS; A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS UPSTANDING FROM OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM WALL ADJACENT TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CORRUGATIONS; FRONT AND BACK WALLS UPSTANDING FROM THE FRONT AND BACK OF SAID BOTTOM WALL; A TOP WALL EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID FRONT, BACK AND SIDE WALLS; SAID TOP WALL HAVING AN OPENING LOCATED OVER SAID BOTTOM-WALL CORRUGATIONS; THE SIDE EDGE MARGINS OF SAID OPENING EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF NOTCHES LOCATED OVER RESPECTIVE BOTTOM-WALL CORRUGATIONS; AND A PLURALITY OF PACKETS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING EACH HAVING ITS LOWER EDGE MARGIN ENGAGED IN A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID CORRUGATIONS 